Recent Techniques in agriculture and horticulture for Punjab India by Dr. Nikhil Ambish Mehta

1. Recent Techniques In Agriculture
and Horticulture
Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
By
Nikhil Ambish Mehta
Research Officer , PSFC
cum H.D.O

2. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
About Punjab
• State with only 1.53% of the total geographical area of the country
produces about 19% of wheat and 11% rice and 5% of cotton, 10% of
milk, 20% of honey and 48% of mushroom in the country.
• State has highest irrigated area i.e 99.9% and highest cropping
intensity i.e 206%.
• The total food grains in the state have increased from 3.11 million
MT in 1960-61 to 28.41 million MT in 2017-18.
• State has been contributing about 30-35%of wheat and 25-30% of
rice to the central pool for last four decades and has earned a name
of ‘Granary of India’.
• State produces about 2.3% of rice, 2.4% of wheat and 1% of cotton of
the world.

3. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
CLU pattern & Cropping Intensity
Land use 1965-66 1985-86 2005-06 2010-11 2020-21
Forest Land 1.7 5.1 5.7 5.8 5.0
Barren Land 8.2 1.3 0.5 0.6 0.7
Non-Agricultural Land 6.5 9.0 9.6 10.0 10.0
Culturable waste Land 2.0 0.7 0.2 0.2 0.2
Fallow Land 4.9 1.8 1.1 0.07 0.07
Net Sown Area 75.7 82.6 82.9 83.1 81.9
Changes in Land Use Pattern in Punjab during 1965 to 2020 (%)
Sr.
No
Years 1965-66 1985-86 2005-06 2010-11 2020-21
1 Cropping Intensity 127.2 171.4 188.7 189.5 206
Changes in Intensity of Cropping in Punjab: 1965 -66 to 2010-11 (%)

4. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Changes in Cropping Pattern in Punjab: 1965 to 2020 (%)
Crops 1965-66 1985-86 2005-06 2010-11 2020-21
Rice (Paddy +
Basmati) 5.4 24.2 33.6 35.85 76.28
Wheat 30.7 43.8 44.1 44.53 85.48
Grams 9.8 1.4 0.05 0.03 0.04
Maize 7.7 4.2 1.9 1.68 0.05
Cotton 8.9 7.7 7.0 6.12 6.02
Sugarcane 3.3 1.4 1.1 0.88 2.21
Pulses 13.4 2.5 0.3 0.21 0.70
Oilseeds 4.2 2.2 0.8 0.33 1.43
Fodder 14.7 12.2 8.8 7.9 21.0
Horticulture Crops 3.6 4.3 5.3 6.58 9.74

5. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
MSP of different Crops
Crops Variety
2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21
KHARIF CROPS
PADDY
Common 1000 1080 1250 1310 1360 1410 1470 1550 1750 1815 1868
Grade 'A' 1030 1110 1280 1345 1400 1450 1510 1590 1770 1835 1888
MAIZE 880 980 1175 1310 1310 1325 1365 1425 1700 1760 1850
MOONG 3170 3500 4400 4500 4600 4850 5225 5575 6975 7050 7196
COTTON
Medium
Staple
2500 2800 3600 3700 3750 3800 3860 4020 5150 5255 5515
Long
Staple
3000 3300 3900 4000 4050 4100 4160 4320 5450 5550 5825
Ground
nut
2300 2700 3700 4000 4000 4030 4220 4450 4890 5090 5275
Sunflower 2350 2800 3700 3700 3750 3800 3950 4100 5388 5650 5885
RABICROPS
WHEAT 1120 1285 1350 1400 1450 1525 1625 1735 1840 1925 1975
BARLEY - 780 980 980 1100 1150 1225 1325 1410 1440 1525 1600
GRAM - 2100 2800 3000 3100 3175 3500 4000 4400 4620 4875 5100
MASUR
(LENTIL) -
2250 2800 2900 2950 3075 3400 3950 4250 4475 4800 5100
Mustard -
1850 2500 3000 3050 3100 3350 3700 4000 4200 4425 4650
TORIA - 1780 2425 2970 3020 3020 3290 3560 3900 4190 4425 4650

6. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Kharif Enterprise Budget by PAU
Crops Duration of
Crop (Months)
Average Yield
(q/acre
Gross Return
(Rs/acre)
Total Variable
Costs ( Rs/acre)
Returns over
Variable Costs
(Rs/acre)
Paddy 4 - 5 30 53100 20282 32818
Basmati 5- 6 14 47495 20643 26852
Maize 3 - 4 20 36400 18012 18388
Bt. Cotton 6 10 56825 28123 28702
Desi Cotton 6 10 53360 21425 31935
SugarCane 10 351 115560 64892 50668
SugarCane Ratoon 10 263 87830 34696 53134
Ground Nut 3 - 4 10 50050 20993 29057
Bajra 3 - 4 15 32400 13813 18587
Moong 2 - 3 4.4 31650 13679 17971
Mash 2 - 3 3.6 21360 13212 8148
Arhar 4 -5 5.3 33828 14862 18966

7. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Problems & Challenges in Production
• Crop Selection
• Variety selection
• Germination issues of seeds
• Seed sowing and transplanted nursery issues
• Labor intensive Harvesting
• Sensitive to climate Change
(Sunlight/Temperature/Humidity/Rainfall/Frost
• Irrigation and fertilizer application
• Insect Pest Diseases
• Protection from adverse climate- Rains Storm

8. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Advanced Technologies
• Crop Roation
• Selection of Resistant high yielding Varieties.
• Mixed cropping and Multiple cropping
• Soil Solarization
• Use of Bio-culture in basal application
• Raised Bed cultivation
• Mulching Techniques for weed Management
• Vegetables cultivation using Vertical support system.
• Micro Irrigation & Fertigation (Drip and Sprinkler)
• Nursery Production
• Protected cultivation
• Mechanization
• Hydroponics/ Soilless cultivation

9. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Crop Rotations
• Wheat- Paddy
• Wheat - Cotton
• Mustard/ Gram- Paddy
• Potato – Moong/Mash – Paddy
• Potato - Cucurbits- Paddy
• Potato - Mentha-Paddy
• Potato - WinterMaize /Silage mazie/ Baby Corn - Paddy
• Late Orange Carrot- Cotton
• Pea- Late Carrots-Tomato/brinals
• Sugarcane - Moong
• Turmeric - Moong
• Onion/Garlic – Cotton
• Low Tunnel Cucurbits vegetables – Paddy- Pea
• Sugarcane Intercropping with vegetables

10. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Multiple cropping and Mixed cropping
Okra with Coriander or radish

11. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Intercropping
Mazie with Coriander/Cucurbits/beans

12. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Forest Garden

13. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Resistant Varieties
1. Heat Tolerate varieties
2. Short duration variety
3. Virus Resistant Varieties
4. Nematode Resistance (Using wild spp.)
5. Wilt resistant varieties
6. Exotic varieties
7. Processing Variety
8. Parthenocarpy-Seedless
(cucumber, Brinjal, Melons)
9. Biofortification- Fe, Zn, Golden rice

14. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Soil Solarization
•To control Soil born Insect pest problem
•Recommended in May June
•Soil temperatures raised to more than 50 degree C.
•Using transparent polysheet 20 micron
•Steam sterilization with soil solarization

15. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Bio-Control in Basal Application
Sr.No Name of Technical product Brand Name Dosage
1 Trichoderma harzianum De-Tricho 2 Liter per acre
2 Pseudomonas fluorescens De-Pseudo 2 Liter per acre
3 Paecilomyces lilacinus DEPACK or
BioNematone
2 Liter per acre
4 Verticilum Chlamidospora Nematofree+ 2 Kg per acre
5 Phosphorus Solublising Bacteria PSB = De-Phos 2 Liter per acre
6 Potash Solublising Bacteria KSB = De-Potash 2 Liter per acre
7 Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhiza VAM = Rutoz 2 Liter per acre
8 Azotobacter (Nitro-Bacteria) DE-Nitro 2 Liter per acre
1. Mix the above Bio product with 200 kg Vermicopost and sprinkle water on it.
2. Cover the mixture with Gunny Bags for 2 Days
3. Above bio product can given through drenching with @ 5 ml per liter after one
month interval

16. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Sowing of seed
Seed size
Seed Depth
Soil Moisture
Temperature
Time of Sowing

17. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Bed Sowing of Wheat
Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers
Commission

18. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Bed sowing

19. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Mechnisation in Sowing – Carrot,
Radish, Okra, Cole crops

20. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Sugarcane Nursery in Tray
Cutting nodes and dipping
with fungicide

21. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Sugarcane planting

22. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Ridge planting of Paddy/basmati

23. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Marker for Transplanting

24. Raised bed with drip Irrigation &Mulching

28. Onion crop on flood Irrigation
Onion crop on Drip Irrigation
Onion crop on Sprinkler Irrigation

29. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Sprinkler Irrigation
Improved Control Over Flood and Furrow Irrigation
Sensitive to wind
Evaporation from soil and plant canopy
Leaf-disease or Leaf-burns

30. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Fertigation With Mulching
• Water Use Efficiency
• Fertilizer Use Efficiency
• Less Weeds & Less Weedicide
• No Hoeing require
• Reduce Labor cost & Inputs
• Maintain Soil Temperature
• Less Insect-Pest attack & Less pesticide
• Less Fruit Rooting &
• High Yield with Better Quality

31. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Zuchini/Squashes

32. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Plastic mulching in Vegetables with
Drip Irrigation

33. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Cucurbits cultivation with vertical support

34. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Benefits of seedling
1. Plants less time to give fruits after
transplant
2. Efficient use of water and Nutrients
3. Weed management
4. Uniform growth of plants
5. Good for Hybrid crops

35. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Seed to seedling in protrays

36. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Automatic Sowing of Different seed

37. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Artificial Climate Control Symptom

38. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Supply at Door Step

39. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Cold frames Mist propagationunit
Shade Net-house for propagation
Low tunnel Technology

40. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Effect of light intensity using shadenet of
different colours

41. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Protected cultivation – Offseason
cultivation

42. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Melon cultivation in Protected structure

44. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Mechanical Harvesting

45. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Hydroponics, Aeroponics and
Aquaculture

46. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
NFT System

47. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Hydroponic cultivation in Punjab

48. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Ginger in Vertical farming under
polyhouse
Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers
Commission

49. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Hi-Tech vegetable Centre,BirCharik,
Moga Punjab
Centre for Vegetables Production by Government
of Punjab
Centre of Excellence for Potato
Dhogri Jalandhar, Punjab
Centre of Excellence for Vegetables
Kartarpur Jalandhar, Punjab
Centre of Excellence for Fruit, Khanora , Hoshiarpur

50. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Using Solar Energy with Water
Storage and Drip Irrigation
50

51. Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission
Thank You
M-7508018998 , Email-nikhilambishmehta@gmail.com